Old Kiln Museum CIO

Also known as: Rural Life Centre

The Old Kiln Museum CIO owns and operates the Rural Life Living Museum, Farnham Surrey. The Museum was founded in 1973 by Madge and Henry Jackson. (Old Kiln Museum, then Rural Life Centre.) The CIO keeps and continues to develop the museum collection, operating the museum for the benefit of the public telling the story of how we lived, tools trades and professions in the English countryside.

Email Charity

Activities & Mission

Areas of Operation

Where this charity is registered to operate, as self-declared to the Charity Commission. These are regulatory classifications, not a list of active programmes, and don't necessarily indicate fundraising activity in each location.

Local Authority

Surrey

Financial Information

Latest Income

£500,443

Latest Expenditure

£379,694

Financial Efficiency

Program Ratio 69.3%

% of income going directly to charitable activities

Higher than 22% of UK Economic and community development charities with income £100K to £1M (sample: 833). How is this calculated?

Overall Efficiency 91.3%

% of expenditure going to programs (vs overhead)

Higher than 26% of UK Economic and community development charities with income £100K to £1M. How is this calculated?

Administrative Ratio 8.7%

Overhead (fundraising + governance) as % of total expenditure

Lower overhead than 24% of UK Economic and community development charities with income £100K to £1M. (Lower overhead is generally read as more efficient.) How is this calculated?

Latest Financial Breakdown

Income Sources

Donations & Legacies £174,721

Charitable Activities £157,209

Other Trading £101,564

Investments £66,949

Other Income £0

Expenditure Categories

Charitable Expenditure £346,775

Raising Funds £32,917

Governance £0

Grants to Institutions £0

Other Expenditure £2

Financial Trend

Annual Returns

As filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Most recent filing covers the financial year ending 2025.

One or more years show a significant change in income (over ±100%) compared with the prior year. This usually reflects a merger, transfer of activities, restated accounts, or a one-off legacy — not necessarily a real change in operating scale. See the methodology for context.

The Commission record shows this related event on the register:

Asset transfer in in 2025 — Old Kiln Museum Trust (organisation 289150)

Financial Year	Income	Expenditure	Charitable Spending	Net Assets	Reserves	Staff
2025	£500,443	£379,694	£346,775	£1,134,573	£1,096,785	8 / 100
2024	£280,662	£301,425				0 / 100
2023	£0	£0				0 / 0

Staff column shows: Employees / Volunteers

Frequently asked questions about Old Kiln Museum CIO

What does Old Kiln Museum CIO do?

How much income did Old Kiln Museum CIO report in 2025?

Old Kiln Museum CIO reported total income of £500k and reported expenditure of £380k for the financial year ending 2025, based on the most recent annual return filed with the Charity Commission.

How efficient is Old Kiln Museum CIO?

Old Kiln Museum CIO has a program ratio of 69.3%, meaning that share of its income goes directly to charitable activities. This is higher than 22% of UK Economic and community development charities with income £100K to £1M (sample of 833 charities). See our methodology for how this is calculated.

When was Old Kiln Museum CIO registered as a charity?

Old Kiln Museum CIO was registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales on 14 September 2022 as charity number 1200370. It has been registered for 4 years.

Who runs Old Kiln Museum CIO?

Old Kiln Museum CIO is governed by a board of 8 trustees. Trustees are legally responsible for the charity's governance and are listed in full on its profile.

Where does Old Kiln Museum CIO operate?

Old Kiln Museum CIO operates in Surrey, as recorded in its Charity Commission filing.

Is Old Kiln Museum CIO a registered charity?

Yes — Old Kiln Museum CIO is a registered charity in England and Wales, charity number 1200370.